Network capturing apparatus, displaying method, computer-readable recording medium, and network system

ABSTRACT

A network camera, a program and a network system, which can perform voice communications by comfortable operations. The network camera can transmit an image to at least one terminal capable of performing a voice communication in a half duplex manner, and can perform a voice communication with the terminal. The network camera creates and transmits page information to the terminal. This page information displays: a button indicating the possibility of outputting the voice when it receives a demand from the terminal, in case the voice output is not inhibited and in case another terminal is not outputting the voice; a button indicating the voice outputting, in case the voice output is done; and a button indicating a temporary voice output inhibit while another terminal is transmitting the voice, so that the page information can be altered, when depressed, to another button display in accordance with the change in the communication state.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a network capturing apparatus capableof performing a voice communication, a displaying method for activatinga computer system to control the network camera, a computer-readablerecording medium storing the program, and a network system forperforming image and voice communications with the computer system.

In recent years, there has spread the network system, in which an imageis taken by a network camera and is transmitted to a computer systemthrough the network such as the internet. However, this network systemcan acquire the image information by controlling the computer system butnot the surrounding voice information. Thus, there has been developedthe network camera (as will be called the “voice mapping type networkcamera”), which is enabled to perform not only the image communicationbut also the voice communication by mounting a speaker and a microphone.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a network system for the voicecommunication of the related art. In this network system, in connectionwith the transmission of an image, an image taken by a camera 1 of avoice mapping type network camera 1 is compressed by an image processor12, and this compressed image data is processed in a protocol by acommunication control unit 13. This processed data is sent to a network3 and to a computer system 2. This computer system 2 decompresses theimage data received, and displays it on a screen. Although not shown inFIG. 8, a plurality of voice mapping type network cameras 1 areconnected with the network 3 so that the computer system 2 acquires theimage information taken by each camera 10 by interchanging the voicemapping type network cameras 1.

In connection with the voice communication, moreover, the voice inputtedfrom a microphone 17 is subjected to an AD conversion and a compressionby a voice transmission processor 15 so that the voice transmission datais sent through the communication control unit 13 and the network 3 tothe computer system 2. This computer system 2 processes the voicetransmission data received, and outputs a voice from a speaker 28.Likewise, the voice inputted from a microphone 27 of the computer system2 is processed by the computer system 2 and is transmitted as the voicereception data so that it is sent through the network 3 to the voicemapping type network camera 1. In this voice mapping type network camera1, the voice reception data received is transferred through thecommunication control unit 13 to a voice reception processor 14, inwhich the data is decompressed and DA-converted and is outputted to aspeaker 18.

In case a user of the voice mapping type network camera 1 in thisnetwork system sends a voice and listens to a collected sound, the userinputs the voice to the microphone 27 of the computer system 2. Aftervoice data was transmitted, the voice is outputted from the speaker 18of the voice mapping type network camera 1. Simultaneously with this,the voice is collected by the microphone 17 and is transmitted to thecomputer system 2 so that it is outputted from the speaker 28. A controlunit 19 controls the entire system of the voice mapping type networkcamera 1. On the other hand, the voice is processed in the computersystem 2 by the JAVA (of a registered trade mark) applet programdownloaded from the voice mapping type network camera 1.

When the image information is to be acquired from the plural voicemapping type network cameras 1, it has been proposed (as referred toJP-A-9-247637, for example) that the states of the voice beingtransmitted and received are displayed on the display. The networksystem of JP-A-9-247637 has been proposed for a TV conference system orthe like, in which a plurality of video/audio communication terminalseach equipped with a video camera, a microphone and a speaker areconnected with the network. The screens to be displayed on the displaysof the video/audio communication terminals display a list of themulti-point video display windows of the video cameras. There are alsodisplayed camera control panels, direction buttons for the pan(horizontal) control and the tilt (vertical) control, and zoom buttonsfor the zoom controls. Moreover, there are further displayed the symbolsfor indicating the video transmissions. The displays of symbols indicatethat the images taken by the video cameras are being sent to the network3. While the symbol indicating the voice transmission is displayed andbeing displayed, it is indicated that the input by the microphone andthe output of the input voice to the network are effective. While thesymbol indicating the voice being received is being displayed, the voicereceived from the network and outputted by the speaker is effective.

In case the voice transmission/reception between the voice mapping typenetwork camera 1 and the computer system 2 is made in a half duplexmanner, the microphone 27 of the computer system 2 cannot be used whilethe sound around the voice mapping type network camera 1 is beingoutputted from the speaker 28 of the computer system 2. During theinputting from the microphone 27 of the computer system 2, on the otherhand, the sound around the voice mapping type network camera 1 cannot beoutputted from the speaker 28.

In case, moreover, the plural voice mapping type network cameras 1 areshared by a plurality of users in such network system, only earlier oneof the users can use the microphone 27, but the remaining users cannot.If the information is not transmitted the individual users, the controlslose comfortableness.

Here in JP-A-9-247637, the symbol indicating the voice being transmittedis displayed in the display of the video/audio communication terminal ofthe TV conference system or the like, to indicate that the input and thetransmission of the input voice to the network are effective. At thesame time, the symbol indicating the voice being received is displayedto indicate that the voice output of the received voice from the networkis effective. However, this TV conference system or the like does notperform the aforementioned voice transmission/reception in the halfduplex communication.

In view of the problems of the related art thus far described,therefore, the invention has an object to provide a network capturingapparatus, a displaying method, a computer-readable recording medium,and a network system, which can perform voice communications simply bycomfortable operations.

In order to solve the above problems of the related art, according tothe invention, there is provided a network capturing apparatus capableof transmitting an image taken with a camera to one or more terminalsmade possible to perform the half duplex voice communication, through anetwork and communicating the terminal in voice. When a communicationunit receives a demand from the terminal, a page information creationunit creates the page information, which makes: a first button displayindicating the voice outputting possibility, in case the voice output isnot inhibited and another terminal is not the voice output; a secondbutton display indicating the voice output in case the voice output isperformed; and a third button display indicating a temporary voiceoutput inhibit, in case another terminal is in the voice transmission,and which can be altered, when selected, to another button display inaccordance with the change in the communication state, and thecommunication unit transmits the page information to the terminal.

According to the network capturing apparatus, the displaying method, thecomputer-readable recording medium, and the network system of theinvention, the voice communication can be done comfortably and simplymerely by making controls while observing the icon on the screendisplaying page.

In order to solve the above problems of the related art, according tothe invention, there is provided a network capturing apparatus which isadapted to connect to at least one terminal through a network,comprising:

-   -   a page information generating unit that generates first page        information to be displayed on the terminals;    -   a communication unit that communicates with the terminal through        the internet;    -   a capturing unit that captures an image around the network        capturing apparatus;    -   a voice collecting unit that collects a sound around the network        capturing apparatus;    -   a voice outputting unit that outputs a sound based on sound data        transmitted from the network; and    -   a control unit that controls a voice communication with the        sound data regarding the collected sound and the outputted sound        in half duplex communication,    -   wherein the page generating unit generates the first page        information in response to a request of the first page        information from the at least one of the terminal;    -   wherein the first page information includes an caption image        captured by the capturing unit and at least one of a first        display information, a second information and a third        information;    -   wherein the first page information includes the first display        information that indicates a voice outputting possibility in a        case that the voice output is not inhibited at the terminal that        transmits the request of the first page information and the        another terminal does not output the sound data to the        communication unit;    -   wherein the first page information includes the second display        information that indicates a voice is outputting in a case that        a voice output is performed at the terminal that transmits the        request of the first page information;    -   wherein the first page information includes the third display        information that indicates a temporary voice output inhibit in a        case that the another terminal is in the voice data        transmission; and    -   wherein the page generating unit generates a second page        information so as to change one display information to another        display information in accordance with the change in a        communication state of the network and a selection regarding at        least one of the first to third display information and the        communication unit transfers the second generated page        information to the terminal.

In the above configuration, since the first display information (firstbutton display) indicating a voice outputting possibility, the seconddisplay information (second button display) indicating a voiceoutputting, and a third display information (third button display)indicating a temporary voice output inhibit are displayed in the firstpage information, a current state of the voice communication is easilygrasped at the terminal. Further, when some button display is depressed,the depressed button display is altered to other button display inaccordance with the change of the state of the voice communication.Therefore, the voice communication can be easily and comfortablyperformed by operating while seeing the button display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above objects and advantages of the present invention will becomemore apparent by describing in detail preferred exemplary embodimentsthereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a configuration diagram of a network camera in the firstembodiment of the invention, and FIG. 1B is an internal blockconfiguration diagram of the inside of a control unit of the networkcamera in the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2A is a block configuration diagram of a computer system in thefirst embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2B is a block configurationdiagram of the computer system of FIG. 2A having downloaded anotherprogram;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a top page of the computer system inthe first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a voice transmission display and avoice reception display in the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5A is an explanatory diagram of an initial communication state ofthe case of a single user of a network system in the first embodiment ofthe invention, and FIG. 5B is an explanatory diagram at the time whenthe voice display in the initial communication state of FIG. 5A ispushed;

FIG. 6A is an explanatory diagram of an initial communication state ofthe case of a plurality of users of a network system in the firstembodiment of the invention, and FIG. 6B is an explanatory diagram atthe time when the voice display of a first computer system in theinitial communication state of FIG. 5A is pushed;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the voice transmission display in the networksystem in the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the network system for the voicecommunications of the related art;

FIG. 9 shows a hardware configuration diagram of a camera of Embodiment2 of the invention; and

FIG. 10 shows an appearance of the camera of Embodiment 2 of theinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment

A network camera, a program and a network system according to the firstembodiment of the invention will be described in the following. FIG. 1Ais a configuration diagram of the network camera in the first embodimentof the invention; FIG. 1B is an internal block configuration diagram ofthe inside of a control unit of the network camera in the firstembodiment of the invention; FIG. 2A is a block configuration diagram ofa computer system in the first embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2B is ablock configuration diagram of another program downloaded to thecomputer system of FIG. 2A; FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a top pageof the computer system in the first embodiment of the invention; andFIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a voice transmission display and avoice reception display in the first embodiment of the invention.

In FIGS. 1A and 1B: numeral 1 designates a voice mapping type networkcamera (or a network camera of the invention) having such a voicecommunication device mounted thereon and capable of taking and sendingimage and having voice communications; numeral 2 a computer system (or aterminal of the invention) such as a personal computer capable of havingthe voice communications; and numeral 3 a network such as the internetor Ethernet (of a registered trade mark). Numeral 10 designates a cameraof the voice mapping type network camera 1; numeral 11 a CORDIC unit forcompressing and decompressing the data to be transmitted and received;numeral 12 an image processor for compressing the image signals taken bythe camera 10; and numeral 13 a communication control unit forprocessing the image data compressed by the image processor 12 in theprotocol and for transmitting the processed data. Here, this protocolprocessing indicates the processing such as the TCP/IP protocol or theIEEE 802.03 protocol of the Ethernet (of the registered trade mark).

Numeral 14 designates a voice reception processor for decoding the voicereception data (or the PCM data) received by the voice mapping typenetwork camera 1; numeral 14 a a DA converter for converting the outputor a digital signal (or a PAM signal) of the voice reception processor14 into an analog signal; numeral 15 a voice transmission processor forencoding the voice inputted to the voice mapping type network camera 1;numeral 15 a an AD converter for converting the output or an analogsignal from a voice input adjusting circuit 17 a (as will be describedhereinafter); numeral 16 a camera control unit for controlling the pan,tilt and zoom of the camera 10; numeral 17 a microphone for inputtingthe voice of the surrounding of the voice mapping type network camera 1;numeral 17 a the voice input adjusting circuit; numeral 18 a speaker foroutputting a voice; and numeral 18 a a voice output adjusting circuit.

Numeral 19 designates a control unit of the voice mapping type networkcamera 1; numeral 20 a storage unit; numeral 20 a a set value storagestored with a set value; numeral 20 b a symbol data storage stored withsymbol data for displaying icons or the like on the screen of thecomputer system 2; and numeral 20 c a transmission file stored with aprogram (as will be called the “terminal side communication processingunit”) to be transmitted to the computer system 2 and executed by theCPU of the computer system 2, such as the active x or the JAVA (of aregistered trade name) applets. The control unit 19 is provided with acentral processing unit (CPU) and the storage unit 20 stored with thecontrol program and data of the former, and the individual controlfunctions are executed as a function realizing unit in the software bythe program loaded from the storage unit 20. The reference numerals thusfar described are basically identical to those, which have beenexplained in connection with the voice mapping type network camera 1 andthe computer system 2.

With reference to FIG. 1B, here will be described a configuration andthe program, which is read in the CPU and executed. The configurationcommunicates with the terminal side communication processing unit of thecomputer system 2, and displays the following items on the screen of thecomputer system 2 for the voice communications: (1) the display of voicetransmitting (i.e., the display of a second button of the invention);(2) the display of voice transmittable (i.e., the display of a firstbutton of the invention): (3) the display of temporary voicetransmission inhibit (i.e., the display of a third button of theinvention); (4) the display of voice transmission inhibit; (1*) thedisplay of voice receiving (i.e., the display of a fifth button of theinvention); (2*) the display of temporary voice reception inhibit (i.e.,the display of a fourth button of the invention); and (3*) the displayof voice reception inhibit. In the following, the case, in which thevoice data is transmitted to the voice mapping type network camera 1 andoutputted from the speaker, will be called the “voice transmission”(i.e., the voice output of the invention), and the case, in which thevoice data inputted from the microphone of the voice mapping typenetwork camera 1 is received so that the voice is outputted, will becalled the “voice reception”. Those displays (1) to (4) will be detailedhereinafter.

In FIG. 1B, numeral 19 a designates a communication execution unit (orthe communication unit of the invention) for performing the voicecommunication and the image transmission when the voice transmissionmode is selected from the computer system 2, and numeral 19 b designatesa display page creation unit for creating the page information to betransmitted from the voice mapping type network camera 1 to the computersystem 2. The aforementioned voice communication mode is composed offour kinds: a voice transmission/reception (half duplex) mode; a firstone-way (i.e., the network camera→the computer system) mode; a secondone-way (i.e., the computer system→the network camera) mode; and a voiceinhibit mode. Numeral 19 c designates a flag for indicating thecommunication sates of the plural computer systems 2 making access tothe voice mapping type network camera 1, such as what is communicatingor what is inhibited from the voice communication, and numeral 19 ddesignates a timer unit for measuring the time of the case, in which thecommunication state mode is changed after lapse of the time. This timerunit 19 d counts a predetermined time by utilizing the fundamental dockof the computer system 2. Numeral 19 e designates a file transfer unitfor downloading the later-described terminal side communicationprocessing unit 26, such as the program of the active x or the JAVA (ofthe registered trade mark) stored in the transmission file 20 c.

When the communication execution unit 19 a is demanded for a voice bythe terminal side communication processing unit 26, the display pagecreation unit 19 b creates the page information with reference to theflag 19 c. Here, the communication execution unit 19 a, the display pagecreation unit 19 b and the file transfer unit 19 e configure altogetherthe function realizing unit of the aforementioned control unit 19. Thecommunication execution unit 19 a confines the individual image andvoice data and the page information created by the display page creationunit 19 b, in the IP packet, and communicates in the HTTP through thecommunication control unit 13.

The configuration of the computer system 2 will be described withreference to FIG. 2A. In FIG. 2A: numeral 21 designates a communicationcontrol unit acting as an interface with the network 3; numeral 22 acontrol operation unit equipped with a CPU as a hardware and realized asa function realizing unit by reading the program from a storage unit-23for storing a program and data; numeral 24 designates a browser unit foracquiring and perusing the image displaying information (e.g., the webpage) from the site on the network 3, numeral 25 designates a voiceprocessing unit realized as a function realizing unit with the programfor the voice communication, such as the JAVA (of the registered trademark) applet program or the plug-in; numeral 26 designates the terminalside communication processing unit which is realized by the programdownloaded by the file transfer unit 19 e of the voice mapping typenetwork camera 1, such as the active x or the JAVA (of the registeredtrade mark); numeral 27 a microphone; numeral 27 a a voice inputcircuit; the numeral 28 a speaker; numeral 28 a a voice output circuit;and numeral 29 a display unit. The browser unit 24 is the functionrealizing unit to be realized by the general-purpose browser program.The terminal side communication processing unit 26 expands the functionsof the browser unit 24 and the voice processing unit 25 there to performthe half duplex communications so that the voice processing unit 25 mayperform the transmission/reception alternately on the voicecommunication. A dedicated program can also be mounted as the terminalside communication processing unit 26.

Subsequently, here is described the actions of the voice mapping typenetwork camera 1 and the computer system 2 of the first embodiment atthe voice communication time. The browser unit 24 of the computer system2 makes access to the communication execution unit 19 a of the voicemapping type network camera 1 and demands the voice mapping type networkcamera 1 for the top page. The (not-shown) top page is provided withselect buttons for selecting whether or not the communication is to beperformed and whether or not the set value of the system is to beinputted. When the communication select button is pushed, the portalscreen displaying information such as the HTML is transmitted from thevoice mapping type network camera 1. In case the setting select buttonis pushed, on the other hand, the set input page is transmitted from thevoice mapping type network camera 1. The setting is completed when theinput is made on the setting input page.

At first, here is described the portal screen displaying information. InFIG. 3, numeral 51 designates an image area of time-varying images orstill images, and numeral 52 designates c control bar for controllingthe camera 10 of the voice mapping type network camera 1. Numeral 53designates a voice transmission display button for displaying thecurrent communication state of the voice transmission to the voicemapping type network camera 1 and for changing the communication statewhen pushed, and numeral 54 designates a voice reception display buttonfor indicating the current output state of the voice inputted to thevoice mapping type network camera 1. Numeral 55 designates a volumeadjusting bar for adjusting the volume to be outputted from the speaker18 of the voice mapping type network camera 1. The client of the voicemapping type network camera 1 receives the portal screen displayinginformation on the monitor and controls the direction control button andthe zoom adjusting bar of the control bar 52 while observing the imageon the portal screen thereby to switch the angle or the like of thecamera 10 and to acquire a new image. In the voice communication mode,the client controls the voice transmission display button 53, the voicereception display button 54 and the volume adjusting bar 55.

Here in the first embodiment, the voice transmission display buttons 53are exemplified by four kinds (although three kinds in the firstembodiment) of buttons indicating the communication states: (1) thedisplay of voice transmitting; (2) the display of voice transmittable:(3) the display of temporary voice transmission inhibit; and (4) thedisplay of voice transmission inhibit (although not displayed in thefirst embodiment), and by three kinds (although two kinds in the firstembodiment) of buttons indicating the communication states: (1*) thedisplay of voice receiving; (2*) the display of temporary voicereception inhibit; and (3*) the display of voice reception inhibit(although not displayed in the first embodiment). These displaysindividually indicate, when active, the present states of the voicetransmission and the voice reception, and the modes can be changed bydepressing the voice transmission display button 53 and the voicereception display button 54.

The display of voice transmitting is activated when the display of voicetransmittable is pushed, and the voice transmission is ended to restorethe display of voice transmittable when the display of voicetransmitting is pushed. In the absence of any user in the voicetransmission when the display of temporary voice transmission inhibit ispushed, the display is changed into that of voice transmission.Likewise, the display of voice receiving is activated when the displayof temporary voice reception inhibit is pushed, and the display oftemporary voice reception inhibit is restored when the display of voicereceiving is pushed. Thus in the invention, the display is changed intoanother button display according to the change in the communicationstate, when each button display is depressed. Moreover, the display oftemporary voice transmission inhibit can be automatically returned tothe mode of initial communication state by a timer after a predeterminedtime elapsed. These actions will be detailed hereinafter.

The communication state displayed in the portal screen displayinginformation of FIG. 3 reflects the setting by the user. The voicetransmission display button 53 indicates the display of voicetransmittable, and the voice reception display button 54 indicates thedisplay of voice receiving (as will be called the “voicetransmittable/voice receiving”) in the voice transmission/reception(half duplex) mode. The voice transmission display button 53 could alsobe set to the voice transmitting, and the voice reception display button54 could also be set to the temporary voice reception inhibit (as willbe called the “voice transmitting/temporary voice reception inhibit”).However, those buttons 53 and 54 are usually set to the (voicetransmittable/voice receiving), because other clients are affected. Inaddition, in case the voice reception inhibit and the voice receptioninhibit (as will be called the “voice reception inhibit/voice receptioninhibit”) are selected by using a setting input page, for example, thevoice inhibit mode comes in so that the voice transmission displaybutton 53 and the voice reception display button 54 are not displayed.At this time, the voice inhibit prevails so that the display of thevolume adjusting bar 55 is stopped. When the voice transmission displaybutton 53 and the voice reception display button 54 are set to the(voice transmission inhibit/voice receiving) and the (voicetransmittable/voice reception inhibit), respectively, they come into thefirst one-way mode and the second one-way mode, respectively. By pushingthe voice transmission display button 53 and the voice reception displaybutton 54, moreover, the communication state can be changed to make themode change. In the first embodiment, however, the initial setting modeis restored when a predetermined time elapses after the mode changedfrom the initial setting.

Here, the processing differs in the voice mapping type network camera 1between the cases, in which the voice mapping type network camera 1 andthe computer system 2 performs the (half duplex) voicetransmission/reception in one-to-one (i.e., a single user) and inone-to-plurality (i.e., plural users). Especially when a plurality ofcomputer systems 2 are connected, this voice transmission is the halfduplex one so that the portal screen display information differs betweenthe computer system 2 having acquired the voice path and the remainingcomputer systems 2 having failed.

First of all, here will be described the case, in which the voicemapping type network camera 1 and the computer system 2 performs the(half duplex) voice transmission/reception in one-to-one (with thesingle user). In the initial communication state, as shown in FIG. 5A,the portal screen displaying information described with the HTML or thelike of FIG. 3, and the communication state is in the (voicetransmittable/voice receiving) so that the screen has the display ofvoice transmittable and the display of voice receiving. In case thevoice is to be sent in the state of FIG. 5A from the computer system 2to the voice mapping type network camera 1, the voice transmissiondisplay button 53 of the display of voice transmittable is depressed. Atthis time, the terminal side communication processing unit 26 informsthe voice mapping type network camera 1 of it, the communicationexecution unit 19 a of the voice mapping type network camera 1 changesthe flag 19 c from the initial communication state (i.e., the voicetransmittable/voice receiving) to the state of (the voicetransmitting/temporary voice reception inhibit). The display pagecreation unit 19 b creates the page information described in the HTML orthe like so that the voice transmission display button 53 of the portalscreen displaying information may change into the displace of voicetransmitting. At the same time, because of the half duplexcommunication, the voice reception display button 54 changes from thedisplay of voice receiving into the display of temporary voice receptioninhibit. As a result, the communication execution unit 19 a transmitsthe portal screen displaying information displaying the (voicetransmitting/temporary voice reception inhibit), as shown in FIG. 5B, tothe computer system 2, and displays it on the monitor. Here, the packetof the voice transmission data is transmitted from the voice mappingtype network camera 1, but the voice data received by the computersystem 2 is muted by the terminal side communication processing unit 26so that it is not outputted from the speaker 28.

After this, if the no-voice state continues after the communicationthrough the microphone 27, the timer unit 19 d counts a predeterminedtime period. When this time period elapses, the communication executionunit 19 a changes the flag 19 c from the communication state of the(voice transmitting/temporary voice reception inhibit) into thecommunication state of the (voice transmittable/voice receiving), andinforms the computer system 2 of this change. If the computer system 2having received this demands a new portal screen displaying information,the communication execution unit 19 a the portal screen displayinginformation of the display indicating the updated (voicetransmittable/voice receiving) to the computer system 2, and displaysthe information on the display. In case, therefore, the voicetransmission is further continued, it is necessary to push the voicetransmission display button 53 again.

Here, the configuration thus far described for updating the portalscreen displaying information can also be replaced by a configuration ofthe program containing the terminal side communication processing unit26, as shown in FIG. 2B, so that the portal screen displayinginformation can be updated. Numeral 26 a designates a display pageupdating unit for updating a portal description of the page informationdescribed in the HTML or the like; numeral 26 b a flag for indicatingthe communication state; and numeral 26 c a timer unit for measuring thetime period of the case, in which the mode is altered with the timelapse.

In the case of the configuration of this program, when the voicetransmission display button 53 for the display of voice transmittable isdepressed, the terminal side communication processing unit 26 informsthe voice mapping type network camera 1 of the depression. Moreover theflag 26 b indicating the communication state is altered to the (voicetransmitting/temporary voice transmission inhibit); the voicetransmission display button 53 of the portal screen displayinginformation is altered from the display of voice transmittable to thedisplay of voice transmitting; and the voice reception display button 54is altered from the display of voice receiving to the display oftemporary voice reception inhibit. Here, the data of these individualicons is downloaded together with the program of the terminal sidecommunication processing unit 26. The portal screen displayinginformation thus processed is instantly displayed on the monitor of thecomputer system 2.

In the update of the portal screen displaying information continuing inthe no-voice state, the time lapse is measured by the timer unit 26 c onthe side of the computer system 2. The terminal side communicationprocessing unit 26 alters the flag 26 b from the (voicetransmitting/temporary voice reception inhibit) to the (voicetransmittable/voice receiving), and the portal screen displayinginformation altered is displayed on the monitor. If the portal screendisplaying information is updated with this configuration of FIG. 2B,the processing can be facilitated for the high-speed processing.

Subsequently, here is described the case, in which the voice mappingtype network camera 1 and the computer system 2 perform the (halfduplex) voice transmission/reception in one-to-plurality (with pluralusers). FIG. 6A is an explanatory diagram of the initial communicationstate of the case of the plural users of the network system in the firstembodiment of the invention, and FIG. 6B is an explanatory diagram ofthe communication state at the time when the voice display of the firstcomputer system in the initial communication state of FIG. 6A is pushed.If the user of a computer system 2A shown in FIG. 6A makes access to thevoice mapping type network camera and if the user of a computer system2B then makes access, the communication execution unit 19 a refers atfirst to the flag 19 c, and starts the (half duplex) voicetransmission/reception with the computer system 2 having made access,only when the flag of voice transmitting is not raised. In short, onlythe voice communication between the computer system 2A and the voicemapping type network camera 1 is effective for the earlier user.Therefore, the computer system 2A starts the voice communicationaccording to the setting. The setting of the computer system 2A of FIG.6A is in the communicating state of the (voice transmitting/temporaryvoice reception inhibit), and the voice is outputted from the voicemapping type network camera 1 so that the output of the voice collectedby the microphone 17 of the voice mapping type network camera 1 isstopped from the computer system 2A. If the computer system 2A has thesetting of the (voice transmittable/voice receiving), the state isestablished, as shown in FIG. 5A. In this state, the voice cannot beoutputted from the speaker 18 of the voice mapping type network camera1, but the voice collected by the microphone 17 can be outputted fromthe computer system 2A.

When the computer system 2B makes second access while the computersystem 2A making access, the communication execution unit 19 a of thevoice mapping type network camera 1 refers to the flag 19 c and detectsthat the flag of the computer system 2A is in the voice transmission.The communication execution unit 19 a alters the flag of the computersystem 2B from the communicating state of the set (voicetransmittable/voice receiving) to the communicating state of the(temporary voice transmission inhibit/voice receiving), and transmitsthe portal screen displaying information having the display of thetemporary voice transmission inhibit 1 voice receiving, and displays itin the computer system 2B. When the user of the computer system 2Bpushes the display of temporary voice transmission inhibit, the terminalside communication processing unit 26 of the computer system 2B inquiresthe communication execution unit 19 a of the voice mapping type networkcamera 1 whether or not the communication can be made. In case thecommunication execution unit 19 a refers to the flag 19 c so that theflag of the computer system 2A is in the voice transmission, thecommunication execution unit 19 a continues the display of temporaryvoice transmission inhibit.

When this state of temporary voice transmission inhibit then continuesfor a predetermined time, in the first embodiment, the communicationexecution unit 19 a alters the flag of the computer system 2B to the(voice transmittable/voice receiving), and causes the display pagecreation unit 19 b to create new portal screen displaying informationand the monitor of the computer system 2B to display the portal screendisplaying information having the display of voice transmittable/voicereceiving, as shown in FIG. 6B. When this display of voice transmittableof the portal screen displaying information is depressed, the voice canbe transmitted from the voice mapping type network camera 1. When thevoice communication of the computer system 2A ends to leave the displayof temporary voice transmission inhibit as it is, the terminal sidecommunication processing unit 26 of the computer system 2B is caused bythe push of the display of voice transmission inhibit by the user of thecomputer system 2B to inquire the communication execution unit 19 a ofthe voice mapping type network camera 1. The terminal side communicationprocessing unit 26 refers to the flag 19 c and knows that the flag ofthe computer system 2A disappears in the voice transmission, and altersthe display to the portal screen displaying information of the displayof voice transmittable/voice receiving, as shown in FIG. 6B.

Here, it is also possible to adopt the method, in which after thedisplay of temporary voice transmission inhibit was pushed, the terminalside communication processing unit 26 of the computer system 2Bperiodically demands the communication execution unit 19 a of the voicemapping type network camera 1 for the notification of the networkcamera. At this time, the communication execution unit 19 a refers tothe flag 19 c and can cause the display page creation unit 19 b tocreate new portal screen displaying information at the instant when theflag of the computer system 2A is not transmitting the voice. Thecommunication execution unit 19 a can also transmit the portal screendisplaying information to the computer system 2B and can display it onthe monitor. In this case, when the voice communication ends, thedisplay automatically changes into the display of voice transmittable 1voice receiving so that the communication execution unit 19 a isremarkably usable for the user.

In the computer system 2A of the first embodiment, the terminal sidecommunication processing unit 26 mutes the voice data, which is sentfrom the voice mapping type network camera 1, in the computer system 2Aso that no influence is exerted on the voice transmission datatransmitted from the voice mapping type network camera 1. By bringingthe computer system 2B into the communication state of (voicetransmittable/voice receiving), the voice collected by the microphone 17can be outputted from the computer system 2A. It should be noted at thistime in connection with privacy that the voice being outputted by theuser of the computer system 2A from the speaker 18 of the voice mappingtype network camera 1 can be heard with the microphone 17 by the user ofthe computer system 2B making access to the same voice mapping typenetwork camera 1. Here, the echo to be produced when the voice loop isformed is not applied to the output from the speaker 28 of the computersystem 2B.

The description thus far made is directed to the case of the (halfduplex) voice transmission/reception. However, the one-way communicationmode is established in case the voice transmission inhibit or the voicereception inhibit is set. This one-way communication is divided into afirst one-way communication mode for transmitting the voice from thevoice mapping type network camera 1 to the computer system 2, and asecond one-way communication mode, in which the voice is transmittedfrom the computer system 2 to the voice mapping type network camera 1.

In the first one-way communication mode, the display of voicetransmission inhibit is not made, but either the display of voicereceiving indicating the output from the speaker 28 or the display oftemporary voice reception inhibit is made. In case the display oftemporary voice reception inhibit is made, the display is altered to thedisplay of voice receiving when the voice reception display button 54 isdepressed.

In the second one-way communication mode, on the other hand, the displayof voice reception inhibit is not made. When the display of voicetransmittable is pushed, the display is altered to the display of voiceinputting, in which the voice can be inputted as it is from themicrophone 27, in case the single user is making access. When the userpushes the display of voice receiving at the end of the communication,the display is altered into the display of voice transmittable. When thecommunication ends, the display is automatically altered without anyaction into the display of voice transmittable when a predetermined timeelapses.

In case a plurality of users are making access, the first access usercan perform the voice communication if he or she pushes the voicetransmission display button 53 in the display of voice transmittable.Another user of later access cannot perform the voice communicationbecause of the display of temporary voice transmission inhibit, even ifhe or she pushes the voice transmission display button 53. When thedisplay is altered to the display of voice transmittable when a timeelapses after the end of the first communication, the communication isreopened by pushing that voice transmission display button 53.

In the case of the voice inhibit mode, the voice transmission displaymode 53 and the voice reception display button 54 are not displayed, butthe display of the volume adjusting bar 55 is stopped. Merely by thesetting of the user, therefore, the information is altered to the portalscreen displaying information only for the transmission/reception of theimage from the voice mapping type network camera 1.

Subsequently, here is described the flow for the voice transmissiondisplay in the network system of the first embodiment of the invention.The voice transmittable mode is set as a reference communication statemode. FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the voice transmission display in thenetwork system in the first embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 7, itis checked (at step 1) whether or not the voice communication ispermitted by the setting and whether or not the voice transmission isinhibited. In case the setting is the voice transmission inhibit, thedisplay of voice transmission is not made (at step 2). In case the voicecommunication is permitted at step 1, it is decided (at step 3) withreference to the flag whether or not the communication is being madewith other clients (or the computer system). In the communication withother clients, the display of temporary voice transmission inhibit ismade (at step 4), and the routine returns to step 3 and stands by tillthe voice communication with other clients ends. Not in thecommunication with other clients, the display of voice transmittable ismade (at step 5).

Next, it is decided (at step 6) whether or not the display of voicetransmittable is depressed. In the case of no depression, the routine isreturned to step 3 and stands by till the depression. In case thedisplay of voice transmittable is depressed at step 6, the display isaltered to the display of voice transmitting (at step 7). At the sametime, the timer is reset (at step 8). When the time elapsed (at step 8),the routine returns to step 3, and the routine is repeated.

In case the voice communication is permitted by the actions thus fardescribed, the display of voice transmittable is made unless thecommunication is made with other clients. When the voice communicationis to be made, the display of voice transmittable is pushed for thecommunication with the display of voice transmitting. When a timeelapses after the end of communication, the routine is automaticallyrestored. The icon display of the portal screen displaying informationis made understandable so that the controls can be made easy andexcellent.

As has been described hereinbefore, the voice mapping type networkcamera, the program and the network system of the first embodiment areenabled to perform the voice communication comfortably and simply by thecontrols made by observing the icon for the portal screen displayinginformation.

In the above configurations, the page generating unit generates the pageinformation in which no display information (no button display) isdisplayed in a case of the voice outputting inhibit. Therefore, acontent of a display is not complex since the display indicating thevoice outputting inhibit is not displayed.

Preferably, the page generating unit of the network camera generates apage information having the second display information (second buttondisplay) indicating that the voice is outputting, instead of the firstdisplay information (first button display), when the communication unitreceives a request indicating that the first display information (firstbutton display) is selected in the page information from the terminal.Therefore, when the first button display (first button display) isdepressed, the display is altered to the second button displayindicating a voice outputting in accordance with the change ofcommunication state. As a result, the operation of the network systemand the state of the network are easily grasped.

Preferably, the page information having the first display information(first button display), further includes a fourth display information(fourth button display) indicating a temporary voice output inhibit. Thepage generating unit generates the page information having the seconddisplay information (second button display) and a fifth displayinformation (fifth button display) indicating that a voice is received,instead of the first display information (first button display) and thefourth display information (fourth button display) (fourth buttondisplay), when the communication unit receives a request indicating thatthe fourth display information (fourth button display) is selected inthe page information from the terminal. Therefore, since the fourthdisplay information (fourth button display) (fourth button display) andthe fifth display information (fifth button display) (fifth buttondisplay) are displayed on the page information, the button operation canbe performed with a focus on listening the sound. Further, since thebutton display regarding a sound outputting can be simultaneouslychanged, the operation becomes more easily.

Preferably, the page generating unit generates the page informationhaving the first display information (first button display), instead ofthe second display information (second button display), when thecommunication unit receives a request indicating that the second displayinformation (second button display) is selected in the page informationfrom the terminal. Therefore, when the second button display indicatingthe sound outputting is depressed, the display is cyclically returned tothe first button display (first button display) indicating the voiceoutputting possibility in accordance with the change of communicationstate. As a result, the operation of the network system and the state ofthe network are easily grasped.

Preferably, the page generating unit generates the page informationhaving the first display information (first button display), instead ofthe third display information (third button display), when thecommunication unit receives a request indicating that the third displayinformation (third button display) in the page information is selectedfrom the terminal. Therefore, when the third button display indicatingthe temporary voice output inhibit is depressed, the display is alteredto the first button display indicating the voice outputting possibilityin accordance with the change of communication state. As a result, theoperation of the network system and the state of the network are easilygrasped.

Preferably, the page generating unit generates the page informationinstead of the second display information (second button display), whena predetermined time counted by timer unit elapses in a case that thesecond display information (second button display) is displayed on theterminal after a termination of the voice communication. Therefore, whenthe time counted by the timer unit is reached to a predetermined time,the button display is altered to the first button display indicating thevoice outputting possibility automatically. As a result, the operationbecomes more easily.

Preferably, the control unit transmits the page information having thethird display information (third button display), instead of the firstdisplay information (first button display), to the terminal incommunication, when the communication unit receives a request for anetwork capturing apparatus state notification periodically after atermination of the voice output of another terminal in communication.Therefore, the button display is automatically altered from the firstbutton display indicating the voice outputting possibility to the thirdbutton display indicating the temporary voice output inhibit.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 9 shows a hardware configuration diagram of the camera of theinvention.

FIG. 10 shows an appearance of the camera of the invention.

Numeral 301 designates a camera chip containing the CPU and itsperipheral circuits. Numeral 302 designates a flash ROM stored with theprogram and data for the actions of the camera chip 301. Numeral 303designates a working S-DRAM for the cameral chip 301 to act. Numeral 304designates a CCD and a CMOS chip for converting a taken image intoelectric signals. Numeral 305 designates an Audio PCM chip forinputting/outputting voice signals. Numeral 306 designates a LANPHY chipfor an electric interface at the time of physical connections with a LANinterface. Numeral 307 designates a motor drive chip for moving thecamera within a taking range, i.e., a Tilt motor 308 and a Pan motor309. There are a microphone for voice inputting and a speaker for voiceoutputting, although not shown.

The camera chip 301 is configured to include: a CPU 301-1; a JPEGconverter 301-2 for converting a taken image in electric signals, intoan image of the JPEG format; a G.726 converter 301-3 for conversionsinto the voice data format for the network communication; an MMU (MemoryManagement Unit) 3014; a GPIO (General Purpose Input/Output); and a LAN(Local Area Network) 301-6.

This hardware configuration diagram of FIG. 9 and the cameraconfiguration diagram of FIG. 1 are mapped, as follows. The camera 10corresponds to the CCD 304; the voice input adjusting circuit 17 a andthe voice output adjusting circuit 18 a to the Audio PCM 305; theportion of the communication control unit 13 to be connected with theLAN to the LANPHY 306; the portion for the communication control unit 13for the control actions to the LAN unit 301-6; the pan motor 10 b to thePan Motor 309; the tilt motor 308 to the Tilt Motor 308; the imageprocessor 12 to the JPEG converter 301-2; the voice reception processor14 and the voice transmission processor 15 to the G.726 converter 301-3;the camera control unit 10 a and the control unit 19 for their controlsto the CPU 301-1; and the storage unit 20 to the S-DRAM 303.

Moreover, it is possible to realize: the flash ROM 302 with MX29LV320;the S-DRAM 303 with MT48CM16; the Audio PCM chip 305 with AK2308; theLANPHY chip 306 with ICS1893; the CCD chip 304 with the combination ofICX098, MN5400 and HV7131; and the motor drive chip 307 with LB1937.

With these configurations, there can be realized the network camera,which is enabled to make the display of voice transmittable not in thecommunication with other clients, in case the voice communication ispermitted, to communicate, when the voice communication is intended, bypushing the display of voice transmittable to the display of voicereceiving, and to restore the initial state automatically when a timeelapses after the end of the communication, and which is madeunderstandable in the icon display for the portal screen displayinginformation, easy in the controls and excellent in the controllability.

The invention can be applied to the network system for imagetransmissions and voice communications by using the voice mapping typenetwork camera.

Although the invention has been illustrated and described for theparticular preferred embodiments, it is apparent to a person skilled inthe art that various changes and modifications can be made on the basisof the teachings of the invention. It is apparent that such changes andmodifications are within the spirit, scope, and intention of theinvention as defined by the appended claims.

The present application is based on Japan Patent Application No.2004-191147 filed on Jun. 29, 2004, the contents of which areincorporated herein for reference.

1. A network capturing apparatus which is adapted to connect to at leastone terminal through a network, comprising: a page informationgenerating unit that generates first page information to be displayed onthe terminals; a communication unit that communicates with the terminalthrough the internet; a capturing unit that captures an image around thenetwork capturing apparatus; a voice collecting unit that collects asound around the network capturing apparatus; a voice outputting unitthat outputs a sound based on sound data transmitted from the network;and a control unit that controls a voice communication with the sounddata regarding the collected sound and the outputted sound in halfduplex communication, wherein the page generating unit generates thefirst page information in response to a request of the first pageinformation from the at least one of the terminal; wherein the firstpage information includes an caption image captured by the capturingunit and at least one of a first display information a secondinformation and a third information; wherein the first page informationincludes the first display information that indicates a voice outputtingpossibility in a case that the voice output is not inhibited at theterminal that transmits the request of the first page information andthe another terminal does not output the sound data to the communicationunit; wherein the first page information includes the second displayinformation that indicates a voice outputting in a case that a voiceoutput is performed at the terminal that transmits the request of thefirst page information; wherein the first page information includes thethird display information that indicates a temporary voice outputinhibit in a case that the another terminal is in the voice datatransmission; and wherein the page generating unit generates a secondpage information so as to change one display information to anotherdisplay information in accordance with the change in a communicationstate of the network and a selection regarding at least one of the firstto third display information and the communication unit transfers thesecond generated page information to the terminal.
 2. The networkcapturing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the page generatingunit generates the first page information having no display informationin a case of the voice outputting inhibit.
 3. The network capturingapparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the page generating unitgenerates a second page information having the second displayinformation indicating that the voice is outputting, instead of thefirst display information, when the communication unit receives arequest indicating that the first display information is selected in thefirst page information from the terminal.
 4. The network capturingapparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first page informationhaving the first display information, further includes a fourth displayinformation indicating a temporary voice output inhibit; wherein thepage generating unit generates the second page information having thesecond display information and a fifth display information indicatingthat a voice is received, instead of the first display information andthe fourth display information, when the communication unit receives arequest indicating that the fourth display information is selected inthe first page information from the terminal.
 5. The network capturingapparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the page generating unitgenerates the second page information having the first displayinformation, instead of the second display information, when thecommunication unit receives a request indicating that the second displayinformation is selected in the first page information from the terminal.6. The network capturing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein thepage generating unit generates the second page information having thefirst display information, instead of the third display information,when the communication unit receives a request indicating that the thirddisplay information in the first page information is selected from theterminal.
 7. The network capturing apparatus as set forth in claim 1,further comprising a timer unit that counts a time, wherein in a casethat the second display information is displayed on the terminal after atermination of the voice communication, the page generating unitgenerates the first page information instead of the second displayinformation, when a predetermined time counted by timer unit elapses. 8.The network capturing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein thecontrol unit transmits the second page information having the thirddisplay information, instead of the first display information, to theterminal in communication, when the communication unit receives arequest for a network capturing apparatus state notificationperiodically after a termination of the voice output of another terminalin communication.
 9. A method of displaying information, comprising:transmitting a request for obtaining first page information to a networkcapturing apparatus; receiving the first page information in response tothe request; transmitting a first selection request to the networkcapturing apparatus when first display information indicating a voiceoutputting possibility in the first page information is selected;receiving second page information having second display informationindicating a voice output instead of the first display information, inresponse to the fist selection request; transmitting a second selectionrequest to the network capturing apparatus when the second informationin the first page information is selected; receiving third pageinformation having the first display information, in response to thesecond selection request; transmitting a third selection request to thenetwork capturing apparatus when third information indicating atemporary voice output inhibit in the first page information isselected; and receiving a fourth page information having the firstdisplay information after the other terminal terminates the voicetransmission, in response to the third selection request.
 10. A methodof displaying information, comprising: transmitting a request ofobtaining page information to a network capturing apparatus; displayingat least one of first information, second information and thirdinformation in the page information; displaying the second displayinformation indicating a voice output at a position of the first displayinformation in the page information, when the first display informationindicating a voice output possibility is selected, displaying the firstdisplay information at a position of the second display information inthe page information, when the second display information is selected;transmitting a request for notifying the network capturing apparatusstate to the network capturing apparatus, when the third displayinformation indicating a temporary voice output inhibit is selected; anddisplaying the first display information at a position of the thirddisplay information when receiving a notification that another terminalhas terminated the voice transmission.
 11. The method as set forth inclaim 10, comprising: counting a time in a case that the second displayinformation is displayed after a termination of the voice communication;and displaying the first display information at a position of the seconddisplay information in the page information, when a predetermined timeis elapsed from the start in the counting process.
 12. The method as setforth in claim 10, wherein when the third display information isselected, the network capturing apparatus is periodically notified ofthe request of notifying the network capturing apparatus state.
 13. Themethod as set forth in claim 10, wherein a fourth display informationindicating a temporary voice inhibit is displayed in the pageinformation having the first display information; and wherein when thefourth display information is selected, the second display informationis displayed at a position of the first display information whereas afifth display information indicating a voice being received is displayedat a position of the fourth display information.
 14. A computer-readablerecording medium for causing a computer to execute the method as setforth in claims
 10. 15. A network system, comprising: a networkcapturing apparatus according to claims 1; and at least one terminaladapted to voce-communicate with the network capturing apparatus in ahalf duplex communication, wherein a display portion is altered to otherdisplay portion so as to display the other display portion in accordancewith the change in a communicating state of the voice communication,when the display portion in page information is selected by a graphicaluser interface of the terminal, the page information being transmittedfrom the network capturing apparatus.
 16. A computer-readable recordingmedium for causing a computer to execute the method as set forth inclaim
 11. 17. A computer-readable recording medium for causing acomputer to execute the method as set forth in claim
 12. 18. Acomputer-readable recording medium for causing a computer to execute themethod as set forth in claim
 13. 19. A network system, comprising: anetwork capturing apparatus according to claim 2; and at least oneterminal adapted to voce-communicate with the network capturingapparatus in a half duplex communication, wherein a display portion isaltered to other display portion so as to display the other displayportion in accordance with the change in a communicating state of thevoice communication, when the display portion in page information isselected by a graphical user interface of the terminal, the pageinformation being transmitted from the network capturing apparatus. 20.A network system, comprising: a network capturing apparatus according toclaim 3; and at least one terminal adapted to voce-communicate with thenetwork capturing apparatus in a half duplex communication, wherein adisplay portion is altered to other display portion so as to display theother display portion in accordance with the change in a communicatingstate of the voice communication, when the display portion in pageinformation is selected by a graphical user interface of the terminal,the page information being transmitted from the network capturingapparatus.
 21. A network system, comprising: a network capturingapparatus according to claim 4; and at least one terminal adapted tovoce-communicate with the network capturing apparatus in a half duplexcommunication, wherein a display portion is altered to other displayportion so as to display the other display portion in accordance withthe change in a communicating state of the voice communication, when thedisplay portion in page information is selected by a graphical userinterface of the terminal, the page information being transmitted fromthe network capturing apparatus.
 22. A network system, comprising: anetwork capturing apparatus according to claim 5; and at least oneterminal adapted to voce-communicate with the network capturingapparatus in a half duplex communication, wherein a display portion isaltered to other display portion so as to display the other displayportion in accordance with the change in a communicating state of thevoice communication, when the display portion in page information isselected by a graphical user interface of the terminal, the pageinformation being transmitted from the network capturing apparatus. 23.A network system, comprising: a network capturing apparatus according toclaim 6; and at least one terminal adapted to voce-communicate with thenetwork capturing apparatus in a half duplex communication, wherein adisplay portion is altered to other display portion so as to display theother display portion in accordance with the change in a communicatingstate of the voice communication, when the display portion in pageinformation is selected by a graphical user interface of the terminal,the page information being transmitted from the network capturingapparatus.
 24. A network system, comprising: a network capturingapparatus according to claim 7; and at least one terminal adapted tovoce-communicate with the network capturing apparatus in a half duplexcommunication, wherein a display portion is altered to other displayportion so as to display the other display portion in accordance withthe change in a communicating state of the voice communication, when thedisplay portion in page information is selected by a graphical userinterface of the terminal, the page information being transmitted fromthe network capturing apparatus.
 25. A network system, comprising: anetwork capturing apparatus according to claim 8; and at least oneterminal adapted to voce-communicate with the network capturingapparatus in a half duplex communication, wherein a display portion isaltered to other display portion so as to display the other displayportion in accordance with the change in a communicating state of thevoice communication, when the display portion in page information isselected by a graphical user interface of the terminal, the pageinformation being transmitted from the network capturing apparatus.